A survey conducted for International Children’s Day today asked children what would be the first thing they would do if they were in charge of the country and kiwi kids voted to provide the basics – food, clothing and shelter – to ensure everyone could have a good life. …

“This should be a reality check for MPs and the Government in particular. Kiwi children were more likely than those in other developed countries to focus on providing the basics.

“Maybe that’s because a fifth of our children are living in poverty. This survey shows our kids are well aware that too many are missing out.

Mana welcomes Labour’s commitment to building houses, but asks what’s being planned to provide affordable housing for low income people.

In response to David Shearer’s KiwiBuild proposal, John Minto says,

“It is a worthy policy and we will support it. But where is affordable housing for families on low-incomes? This entire group has been disregarded in Labour’s announcement today”.

“No low-income family will be able to afford $300,000. These families struggle from week to week and will never be able to save a deposit or meet the mortgage repayments required for home ownership. They are caught in the vicious squeeze between high private rental costs and the government’s impossible criteria for eligibility for a state house”.

“The most desperate need for housing is state rental housing which is why MANA’s first policy priority in housing is to build 20,000 new state homes within two years”.

Labour at least has a policy to deal with some aspects of the housing shortage. The Key government’s plan is an ill-thought-out shambles, which will do nothing for those in real need.

NZ First asks, John Key to reveal the full extent of his involvement in the Sky City-China Southern Airlines (CSA) gambler visa deal.

Winston Peter’s says the deal allowing CSA frequent flyers to dodge visa requirements, comes on top of Key’s pokie deal with Sky City. He says Key’s statements about these deals are contradictory and indicate crony-ism is involved.

Mr Peters says the Prime Minister must come clean on why he is willing to jeopardise the nation’s security, and fuel problem gambling with hundreds of extra pokie machines, in return for a convention centre.

“Mr Key is clearly involved in this whole gambler visa mess which according to high ranking Immigration Department officials is highly likely to see criminals enter the country.

On all these issues, the Key government is continuing to damage NZ and the lives of ordinary Kiwis, indicating a bleak future. The Labour Party’s policies are an improvement, but fall well short of what I’d expect from a Left wing party. Mana and the Greens are leading the way on affordable housing and anti-poverty campaigns. The Greens still have the most helpful and comprehensive take on, and responses to, pressing environmental issues.

Related

20 comments on “In other news: the failings of Key’s government”

Mana’s housing policy catches all the things Labour’s drops; turning a policy that is a treatment of symptoms in a way that perpetuates the problem, into addressing the problem and making a step forward in a new direction. There isn’t a direct link to their ideas, it’s part of the wider policy page:

“Increase Government support for third sector housing providers – whānau, hapū and iwi, community and church based organisations who work to provide quality social housing (rental and owned) in local areas. Support the development of Indigenous housing models, as well as sweat equity, shared equity, eco housing, cooperative housing and other innovative forms of home ownership.”

Black-represents Te Korekore, the realm of Potential Being. It represents the long darkness from whence the world emerged.It represents the heavens, the male element is formless, floating and passive.

White-represents Te Ao Marama, the realm of Being and Light. It is the physical world. White symbolises purity, harmony, enlightenment, balance and air rising.

The Koru, represents the unfolding of new life, that everything is reborn and continues. It promises renewal and hope for the future.

Red-represents Te Whei Ao, the realm of coming into being. It symbolises female, active, flashing, south, yelling, emergence, forest, land, gestation and spirals. Red is Papatuanuku, Earth Mother, the sustainer of all living things. Red is the colour of eart from which the first human was made.

“Mr Key has some explaining to do” – well, have we not always known it? Key does not for a moment think he ever has to explain anything – the less ethical he becomes the more his closed minded supporters back him. He gambles on his support at least as much as he gambles on anything else (one hell of a lot!)

” . . . and that quality (of leadership) derives from the breadth of the morality upon which it rests” (C.I. Barnard).

“Leadership is about nurturing and enhancing” (Tom Peters).

“Leadership requires the courage to make decisions that will benefit the next generation” (Alan Autry).

“And, as Frank Macskasy points out, Nationals housing policy is just a recycled housing policy that will probably go the same way as it did before only to be resurrected just before the next election.”

In All honesty to Frank. I think he meant to say, All of Nationals policies are just Recycled policy that didn’t work last time or the time before that.

Two days ago a ” confidence survey” taken late in October was claiming that we are out of it, that we are on our way,happy days are here again, Today, credit card spend was down .9% in Oct. Who do they talk to? And if David Shearer is going to be the leader that he thinks he is he should be all over this, and if he isn’t he should contract it out to someone who knows how to tear strips off the Nats, like …aww… ummm….how about David Cuniliffe!

Same here It’s a little worrying when one of the 3? pubs closes it’s doors due to no patrons. And the amount of closed shops is worrying as well, that means no spare jobs, for the teens that just hang around all day with nothing to do and bugger all money or prospects. It reminds me of the last time the Nats had their go at ruining the country in record time. Or the time before that. De’ javu anyone?

Whatever what Karol you will likely find me protesting outside parliament fairly soon over December, my situation is pretty bad and there are others in worse situations.

I wrote a poem on my blog that is a short summary of my feelings:

The Long black smog

The state crushing the soul,
Sounds of sirens,
Giving way to endless suffering,
Millions starving and no jobs to spare,
The weak to die, The rich to take,
Leaving only despair in their wake,
As darkness surrounds the halls of power,
The vipers spread their poison,
Half the country zombies in their wake,
Parties, drink, games and drugs,
The way to hide from truth, from human rights,
Abandoning reality and believing wrong is right,
When the dust settles on this outpost of hell,
Where children are beaten, and parents go free,
Injustice the norm, Dotcom guilty before innoscent,
Maori called terrorists,
No terrorists to be found,
Lie to the people and build more fear,
Give government powers, they have no right to have,
Control and manipulate,
Christchurch Earthquake a tool of the trade,
Steal their homes, Give none back,
Take their democracy,
Leaving bitter memories,
Pain and sorrow still goes on,
But still the public,
Don’t think somethings wrong,
New Zealand,
A long black smog.

Perhaps to assist the genuinely low income folks into houses the government needs to back a housing corporation (from the old days) style mortgage. 20 year mortgages at a fixed rate of (whatever is appropriate). The contract with the crown could include provisions for improved circumstances (ie couple becoming double income once kids are at school, or one adult finding a better paying job and so on). It’s good to have an idea/policy to play around with, tinker, critique because this government is just adopting its “nothing to see here” approach to everything that disinterests it. As an aside the PM seemed singularly disinterested in meeting one of the greatest figures of modern democracy from the clip I saw of him yesterday. He thought (in a monotone) it would be interesting to hear what she had to say… he sounded very animated during his address tot he NZ business group… In otherwords democracy and fighting for it is a bit ho-hum give me a meeting with the top 1% any day… It’s all about the money honey.

We shopuld focus on providing food, housing and reducing Cos emissions?
yup we can do that and ensure we never ever win an election.

In a country where we dont have a functioning investment culture or a way to save money, properties becomes the only answer. Thats NZ today half my neighbours own investment properties. These are labour voters in Mt Albert and Mt Roskill. Our heartland. these are todays middle class the people we must convince to vote for us to win an election. We can forget about these people and hope that South Auckland can deliver for us but that in terms of demography is suicidal.
We need modern messages for these people, these people are born and brought up in labour households and we cant risk alienating them. but lets be honest food on the table isnt the issue most affecting them, we might however make them agree to pay an extra cent per dollar in tax if its sent to those that cant afford food for their children, however that cant be the thing we go to the election on.

Enter a bank in any other western country and the banker will offer you different funds, stockexchange plans etc. Enter a bank in NZ and the banker offers higher interest rates and term deposits or the holy graal a mortgage, for a first, second third or investment property.
The investment market is skewed, is flawed. but its there and the voters we need, the voters from our old heartlands are now sitting owning houses worth a million NZ dollars.
Dont belive me have a look at what houses close to Davis Shearers representative office goes for, do the same with Phil Goffs office in three kings. This is the heartland of the Labour movement. This is where were we are loosing ground and this is where we need to regain the voters to win the next election.

To win any election we need to win the Middle class. the urban middle class. its in the big 6 cities that labour win or loose their elections.
how about we actually care enoug to come with a policy that interests and makes these voters feel labour is the choice. these are voters with a social consience, voters whose parents worked hard to make ends meet they are happy to share some wealth, to support a cityloop and public transport but they wont accept politics that focuses solely on the 5% of kiwis that cant make ends meet. They dont deem it as fair.

Also if we are to have any credibility we need to stick to facts. John Key isn’t neoliberal. Look at what the Chicago boys did, their policies, look at what real neolibs think and does.
John Key is uninformed, lacks a vision and doesn’t understand what makes New Zealand a competitive economy but that doesnt make him neoliberal.

. . In his recent statement to Parliament, Dear Leader Key made this commitment to the people of New Zealand when announcing that troops would be sent to Iraq; “The deployment will be reviewed after nine months and will be… ...

Brian Leyland has written an op-ed in the herald that is so comically wrong it’s hard not to ignore. Every single one of the 13 paragraphs contains (often basic) factual errors or opinion masquerading as fact. So I thought I’d… ...

by Phil DuncanMoney can’t buy me love, went the old Beatles song. Perhaps Mana and the left currents within it should’ve taken the Beatles’ point to heart.Although the sections of the left that supported Mana and the InternetMana… ...

Look, I know you are all fired up about this Asian foreign driver thing. But just stop it. Now. You are the last nation on Earth to be complaining about foreign drivers. You are the most reckless, selfish and unthinking drivers… ...

A report from economics consultancy Econometrics estimates that New Zealand could save $10 million per lunar month if all the work that goes into solving sudoku puzzles were automated. The setting of sudoku is already largely computerised. If the solving… ...

Economic Policies for an Incoming Labour Government By Bryan Gould and George Tait EdwardsPart 2 of 9: Stimulating Wealth Creation If we are to find that better way, we must clearly understand the failures and deficiencies of what has gone… ...

Income Equality Aotearoa New Zealand Inc. Closing the Gap MEDIA RELEASE: 3rd March 2015 “We are delighted to see that the politicians have recognised the greed and selfishness embodied in their initial response to their remuneration increases and are now… ...

So there I was, confidently predicting that Winston Peters wouldn’t risk the humiliation of losing in the Northland by-election… At the end of the day, perhaps the most important point is that Winston Peters really doesn’t like losing. He won’t put himself forward as… ...

Guest Post by Ryan Mearns, Generation ZeroAs we outlined yesterday Auckland Council’s transport budget options in the Long Term Plan offered a false choice. Build everything in the Auckland Plan Network at the cost of finding an extra $300 million a… ...

New Zealanders have been going to the polls for the better part of 150 years. And over that time, voting has changed dramatically. For example, drunkenness, bribery and double voting are no longer considered just part of the day! Thankfully!… ...

Welcome to Australia, where if you don't like the government's racist refugee deportation policies, their airline collaborator will ban you from flying:Qantas has banned a Melbourne man from flying with them after he asked to be removed from a flight… ...

The development of new knowledge and technology is growing at a faster rate than ever before and successful businesses generally have to remain at the cutting edge of their industries to survive. We are now operating in a global, interconnected… ...

One of the predictions about climate change is that climate change-induced drought and famine will lead to more wars. Sadly, it turns out that what is happening in Syria is one of those wars:Drawing one of the strongest links yet… ...

“Do we want to be a society that is supportive, that is inclusive and compassionate, where it is acknowledged that not all can prosper, where those who are most vulnerable, most in need of help, are not seen as lazy… ...

Howie Tamati, sole Maori councillor on the New Plymouth District Council, sees the granting of Maori wards on local councils as a step in the right direction, “not the right answer but a start” (Insight, Radio NZ, March 1st). He… ...

This is a really good post on Christchurch’s future cycling infrastructure. I don’t have a huge amount to add to it, but would suggest you read it, if you prefer your cycling analysis to be backed up by research rather… ...

Gallant Deeds: New Zealand SAS troopers returning from a bitter fire-fight at the Kabul Intercontinental Hotel, Afghanistan, June 2011. The NZ Defence Force is fanatical in its determination to control the totality of information emerging from the theatres in which its… ...

I was wondering why there’s been so much media about the $168,000 rude cake on Facebook HRT finding, and then I read the Tribunal decision which you can find here. It is very long, and amazing in a way that can’t… ...

As readers know, John Key has decided to change the law to change a proposed 5% pay increase for MPs into a 1-2% increase instead. First, this is really smart politics. People hate paying MPs anything, so paying them less… ...

Cry Havoc! For the first time in many years a major New Zealand Christian denomination has come out in support of military action. But have the Catholic Bishops interpreted their Church's "Just War Doctrine" correctly? (Graphic: Warmonger by John… ...

This bulletin inventories reactions to recent revelations made about Wiilie Soon's relationship with the fossil fuel industry while employed by the Smithsonian Institution at the Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics. This bulletin also functions as a supplementary reading list to Dana's recently posted… ...

Let’s be clear: constitutionally, the Executive decides where and how troops are deployed. John Key did not need Parliament’s approval to go to war. And let’s be clear: Key is going to war. Iraq is at war. Training its… ...

Press Release – Doctors for Healthy Trade A careful assessment of what could happen to the health of New Zealanders under the Trans Pacific Partnership Agreement (TPPA) is needed, say New Zealand doctors. An Australian report Negotiating Healthy Trade in… ...

Press Release – Public Health Association of Australia A report released today by a large team of academics and non-government health organisations reveals that the Trans-Pacific Partnership Agreement (TPP) poses risks to the health of Australians in areas such as… ...

Professor Shiba knew that some day he might be captured by the Yamatais – he, who alone knew the secrets of the ancient monster race that would soon rise up to conquer the world. So he patiently stored himself in… ...

Is this for real? Mike Hosking equates jobs, such as his, a talking head with a soldier’s deployment in Iraq? Please tell me this man is joking? Unbelievable. Is this the ‘get some guts’ that Key talks about? Getting guts… ...

by Danios Below, I have reproduced a year-by-year timeline of America’s wars, which reveals something quite interesting: since the United States was founded in 1776, she has been at war during 214 out of her 235 calendar… ...

They say that imitation is the sincerest form of flattery so we were extremely flattered to see Auckland Transport today start using the images below to advertise some of the benefits of the City Rail Link. … ...

Policy Quarterly has just published papers from a symposium on distributional inequality held last June. There are really interesting papers by Geoff Bertram, Phillip Morrison, Bill Rosenberg and Simon Chapple et al which you may want to read for yourself.read&hellip; ...

Bartholomew Leading A broken rib is no big deal. Sure, it hurts like Hell, but three or more broken ribs hurt worse and, snapped and broken and freely moving under the weight and pressure of a 280lb man can… ...

Tony Abbott's visit to New Zealand gave Australian political commentators another excuse to highlight the failings of his leadership, by comparing him with John Key. However, their list of John Key's successes is a little... odd:Key has, with a minimum… ...

The fight against Islamic State is not the fight of the oppressor against the disposed and the poor. Its leaders and disciples are mostly educated and middle class, if not wealthy. It’s the victims in Iraq and Syria who are the poor.read more ...

Guest Post from Ryan Mearns, Generation Zero Auckland For nearly 50 years from the early 1950’s Auckland invested solely in roads, and especially motorways, with all other transport modes being totally ignored. This one sided level of investment was not… ...

by Michael Roberts Recently Noah Smith pointed out that “Modern macro-economists think that recessions and booms are random fluctuations around a trend. These fluctuations tend to die out — a deep recession leads to a fast recovery, and a big expansion tends… ...

Danyl has some thought-provoking comments about the Herald’s analysis of electoral donations: MPs and other political insiders get really upset if you suggest to them that this is all basically political corruption. Partly this is down to their massive egos. MPs don’t think… ...

The minimum wage rose by 50 cents this month from 14.25 to 14.75. While it’s a small step towards ensuring minimum workers get a fair share, it’s important to remember that real wages only rose 1.5% while productivity rose by… ...

Ever since rumours that (now former) National MP Mike Sabin was being investigated by police were made public, the question on everyone's lips has been "what did the Prime Minister know and when did he know it?" Sabin has since… ...

The Larsen C ice shelf on the east coast of the Antarctic peninsula is primed for a giant iceberg calving event, and could be heading for total collapse — similar to the fate of the Larsen B ice shelf… ...

Share this:

Related

The current and previous Revenue Ministers must front up and explain how the child support system had a budget blowout from $30 million to $210 million in just four years, says Labour’s Revenue spokesperson Clayton Cosgrove. “Peter Dunne was Revenue… ...

A review of the way MPs’ pay is set should also look at ways to curb excessive rises in the salaries of public service chief executives, Labour Leader Andrew Little says. “Some of these CEOs have had stratospheric pay increases… ...

The minimum wage rose by 50 cents this month from 14.25 to 14.75. While it’s a small step towards ensuring minimum workers get a fair share, it’s important to remember that real wages only rose 1.5% while productivity rose by… ...

It should seem obvious to employers, private or public, that it’s important to do what you can to retain your best, most experienced staff. They make life easier for you because they’re effective, attentive and often respected by those around… ...

That ban was widely hailed, and spurred efforts in other countries to get similar bans. However, apes are still being exploited, abused and killed, both in captivity and in the wild. Examples of cruelty, neglect and abuse abound. Apes are… ...

The only word to describe the latest building consent figures for Auckland is ‘tragic’, Labour’s Housing spokesperson Phil Twyford says. “Whatever the Government is doing to address the Auckland housing crisis, it is clearly not working. ...

A pest which could create havoc for New Zealand’s horticulture and agriculture sector must be as much a focus for the Government as hunting out fruit flies, Labour’s Biosecurity spokesperson Damien O’Connor says. “While the Ministry for Primary Industries is… ...

Despite new evidence showing that cuts to health spending are costing lives the Government continues to deny the sector is struggling, Labour’s Health spokesperson Annette King says. “Health services in New Zealand are in crisis. ...

When Hekia Parata became aware that the Whangaruru charter school was experiencing major problems her first action was to drop standards by reducing the number of qualified teachers they had to employ, Labour’s Education spokesperson Chris Hipkins has revealed. “Hekia… ...

John Key and Bill English need to be straight with New Zealanders about the damage their failure to diversify the economy is doing, after new figures show export growth plunged due to a collapse in dairy exports, says Grant Robertson.… ...

This week the International Monetary Fund released a report on the wider economic value in closing the gender pay gap. When even the bastions of free-market economics start to raise concerns about gender pay gaps, we have to realise how… ...

Labour will hold National to its promise to increase the support given to new parents of premature, multiple birth and babies born with disabilities, Labour’s paid parental leave campaigner Sue Moroney says. "I am naturally disappointed that after battling for… ...

Steven Joyce’s confession that he can no longer guarantee a pillar-free design for the New Zealand International Convention Centre shows the Government has abandoned its dream of creating an ‘iconic’ ‘world-class’ structure, says Labour Economic Development spokesperson David Clark. “Steven… ...

John Key might want to have a quiet word with Australian Prime Minister Tony Abbott about Canberra's just-announced crack down on offshore speculators when he visits New Zealand this week, Labour's Housing spokesperson Phil Twyford says."Tony Abbott's centre right government… ...

National backbencher Jacqui Dean has spoken out about overseas driver crashes, putting herself at odds with Prime Minister John Key who is on record as saying it’s not a big issue, Labour’s Transport spokesperson Phil Twyford says. “I’m not surprised… ...

Last week I heard two Palestinians speak at Wellington events about the ongoing crisis in their country. Samar Sabawi spoke to a full house about the history of Palestine and gave us a lucid and disturbing account of the situation… ...

An Amnesty International report has once again criticised New Zealand’s track record on looking after our kids, Labour’s Children’s spokesperson Jacinda Ardern says. The annual report, which looks at global human rights abuses highlights not only the fact that high… ...

It is clear that the first draft of the Māori Language Bill was about structures and funding rather than the survival of te reo Māori, Labour’s Māori Development Spokesperson Nanaia Mahuta says. “Labour is pleased that the Minister of Māori… ...

The long-awaited release of an Education Review Office report into Northland’s troubled Whangaruru charter school proves it should never have been approved in the first place, Labour’s Education spokesperson Chris Hipkins says. “This report identifies problems with absenteeism and disengaged… ...

This week the Greens have participated in awareness activity about Manus Island, the refugee camp on an island in Papua New Guinea where Australia dumps asylum seekers. John Key says that he has every confidence in the Australian Government’s claim… ...

James Shaw has been doing a series of blogs on the Election Inquiry into last year’s general election. I thought this was a great opportunity to raise an issue very dear to me – accessible voting. Last year’s general election… ...

Housing will continue to be a big issue in 2015. The latest Consumer Price Index, released last month, shows both good news and bad news on the housing front. After years of being the most expensive place to build a… ...

It is amazing that you can hear the song of the endangered North Island kokako in South Auckland’s Hunua Ranges, less than 50 kms from the central city. A heavy schedule of policy workshops at the Green Party’s Policy… ...

The Cricket World Cup has just opened in New Zealand, and it’s an opportunity for us to shine on the world stage. International sport can be a chance for us to build relationships with other countries, and examine what it… ...

This week it was my privilege to work with Sri Lankan Tamil communities in this country and host Australian journalist and human rights advocate Trevor Grant. I knew a bit about Trevor from his biography but I didn’t know just… ...

The Government is about to progress the final stages of the Animal Welfare Amendment bill. This will be our last opportunity to get changes made to improve the bill to ensure a better outcome for animals. I have put forwards… ...

Access to buildings is a big issue for many New Zealanders. It looks like that, due to the hard work and persistence of people in the disability community, the Government may finally be starting to take access to buildings seriously.… ...

The Green Party today called on the New Zealand Superannuation Fund (the Fund) to divest from fossil fuels, starting immediately with coal. The call was accompanied with a new report, Making money from a climate catastrophe: The case for divesting… ...

Share this:

Related

The Privy Council’s upholding of the Teina Pora appeal is further evidence New Zealand needs a Criminal Cases Review Panel, Dean of the University of Canterbury’s School of Law, Associate Professor Chris Gallavin says. ...

A careful assessment of what could happen to the health of New Zealanders under the Trans Pacific Partnership Agreement (TPPA) is needed, say New Zealand doctors. An Australian report Negotiating Healthy Trade in Australia: Health Impact Assessment ...

Youth organisation, Generation Zero, is today launching a report - Fix Our City: An analysis of the Transport Budget in the 2015 - 2025 Long Term Plan - that proposes that Auckland Council focuses on a transport budget that prioritises… ...

“We are delighted to see that the politicians have recognised the greed and selfishness embodied in their initial response to their remuneration increases and are now proposing to amend the appropriate legislation. About time! ” ...

International Women’s Day is a day for celebrating women’s economic, political and social achievements around the globe. It is a day to acknowledge women’s successes, while recognising that there is still a long way to go in ending the inequalities… ...

Family First NZ says that the NZ lecture tour by Dr Rob Jonquiere, a leader of the Dutch euthanasia movement, will ignore the mounting evidence from his own country that there’s no safe way to kill people and that assisted… ...

State Services Commissioner Iain Rennie has today announced the appointment of Brook Barrington as Chief Executive and Secretary of Foreign Affairs and Trade, Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade (MFAT). ...

Rainbow Labour will be learning from the outcomes of the recent United Nations Development Programme’s Regional dialogue on LGBTI rights and health in Asia and the Pacific recently held in Bangkok, Thailand over February 25-27 and attended by Labour MP… ...

Carer Relief Workers Gain Minimum Employment Rights Over 35,000 home care relief workers have gained the right to the minimum wage and holidays through a case won by the Service and Food Workers Union in the Employment Court. The court… ...